ViacomCBS Changes Name To ‘Paramount’, Harking Back To Entertainment’s Roots

ViacomCBS has made a decision it believes to be, for lack of a better word, paramount to its legacy.

As of Wednesday, February 16, the media and entertainment conglomerate is known as Paramount Global, or Paramount for short. It’s its latest branding decision following the merger between CBS and Viacom in 2019.

Under this umbrella sits names like MTV, Showtime, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET, CBS, streaming service Paramount+, and the auspicious network whose name the parent company has now adopted.

In an internal memo quoted by CBS News, chairman Shari Redstone alluded to Paramount’s far-reaching and longstanding role in entertainment that dates back to “the Golden Age of Hollywood” for the decision to rebrand.

“Paramount has always represented brilliant storytelling for audiences around the globe, on the big screen, the small screen, and every device in between,” said Redstone.

In a shared statement, Redstone and Bob Bakish, president and CEO of the new Paramount, called the reform “an exciting moment in the history of our company” following a successful merger that created “a whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts.”

“For more than a century, the name Paramount has been synonymous with great entertainment and industry leadership. It’s part of our history, as pioneers of the Golden Age of Hollywood,” declared the two leaders. “But as Paramount+ has made clear, it’s also about our bright future.”

[via CBS News and CNET,  cover photo 60070733 © Michael Rosebrock | Dreamstime.com]